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Getting to Know the Score: Using the First 20 Years to Plan the Next

Getting to Know the Score: Using the First 20 Years to Plan the Next Peter Burnhill & Alison Bayley director & deputy director, EDINA national data centre & Edinburgh University Data Library Ottawa, IASSIST 2003. “It was twenty years ago today...”.

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Getting to Know the Score: Using the First 20 Years to Plan the Next

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  1. Getting to Know the Score: Using the First 20 Years to Plan the Next Peter Burnhill & Alison Bayley director & deputy director, EDINA national data centre & Edinburgh University Data Library Ottawa, IASSIST 2003

  2. “It was twenty years ago today...” • Internationally: mainframes & magnetic tapes ruled, but • Internet entering its modern age: email, ftp; remote log-on; TCP/IP • IBM PC newly out; MS-DOS version 2.0 ; Lotus 1-2-3, Wordstar, etc. • UK: rise of JANET & multi-access (file-based) computing • National (London & Manchester) & Regional Computing Centres (eg Edinburgh RCC); Government-backed ICL computers • Edinburgh: Program Library Unit (PLU) had national role • converted source code of ‘IBM mainframe’ software (eg SPSS) for ICL / VME • wrote SASPAC, census data extraction software (in use for over 20 years)

  3. “So may [we] introduce to you, the act you’ve known for all these years” Edinburgh University Data Library (EUDL) ... • ‘Data Library’ conceived in 1983 (Trevor Jones left for CACI)) • researchers petitioned Library & PLU • University-wide provision for large data files • disk storage very expensive & file space strictly rationed • Peter Burnhill, social statistician, appointed Manager in 1984 started with 1.5 fte staff: programmer & computing assistant (Audrey Stacey as”fifth Beatle”) • Alison Bayley joined the Band as computer programmer in 1985

  4. Factoids about the Band (EUDL) • 3 piece band: statistician + programmer + librarian • based on top of extensive computing infrastructure • online disc files not magnetic tapes • told to get external funding for development • early holdings: censuses & big national surveys • e.g. Population & Agricultural Census; the GHS & the LFS • research data from Universities of Edinburgh, Glasgow & Strathclyde • use UK Data Archive at Essex as clearinghouse • datalib (1985) early version of http://datalib.ed.ac.uk • online information about holdings & services • custom-written hypertext system, available to all university mainframe users

  5. “Sgt. Pepper taught the band to play …”“A Little Help from (Our) Friends” (ie IASSIST) • 1985: first overseas gig in Amsterdam at IASSIST’85 • Sue Dodd visits UK as Guest Singer • ‘Towards the development of data libraries in the UK’ (NSF/ESRC) • 1986: West Coast Tour • UC Berkeley, Stanford, Seatle, UCB Vancouver (Liane Ruus) • 1989: metadata gig at Statistics Canada & 1990 ‘Learneds’ • 1991: played Moscow (with Laura Guy) before Paul • “Back in the USSR” • 1993: IASSIST plays Edinburgh in 1993

  6. Branching out into Jazz/Rock Fusion - preparing for the ‘digital library’ Many projects & services during 1980s & early 1990s ‘bridging conceptual gap between Library & Computing Services’ • DATAC, SASPAC & CSO software development • RAPID • online database linking research activity to published ‘outputs’ (1988/1997) • monographs & journals, software, datasets & learning materials • SALSER • 'virtual' catalogue of serials in Scotland’s university libraries (1992/94 -) • SCIMMS • web-based access to information on manuscript collections in University (1994) ‘Numbers, pictures, words & sounds: priorities for the 1990s’ (IASSIST 1990, in Poughkepsie)

  7. Sing Something Spatial / Finding Our Place • Geographic information: particular focus from the beginning • convert parish-based agricultural census data to grid square estimates • contributed to 1986 BBC Domesday Disc (as did UKDA) • visualisation of land use & population change (ICA Prize, 1991) • ESRC Regional Research Laboratory for Scotland, 1987 - • GIS & large-scale data • UKBORDERS digital boundary map data server, 1994 - • Developed first as part of ESRC research grant, then launched as service in 1994 part of ESRC/JISC 1991 Census Programme • Laid foundation for later activity • Digimap: web-based delivery of digital map data (AGI Prize, 2000)

  8. “Can I tell you a secret? ... Will you promise not to tell?” • During first half of 1995, we considered breaking up the Band? • AwayDay among 10 staff to review SWOT & derive stragegy • strengths: could now be seen as preparation for role in ‘digital library’ movement • weaknesses: was there a role, or has the world taken over? • Data Library had become odd mix of services (local & national) & projects • ‘Crowded House’ or “(Can’t get no) Satisfaction” • Internationally, power of the desktop & emergence of World Wide Web, multimedia & client/server model • In UK, rise of BIDS & MIDAS (MIMAS) as two datacentres, respectively for national online bibliographic & numeric dataset services • Failure, at last hurdle, of bid to ESRC to become national resource centre

  9. 1995: Opportunity Knocks ... • Data Library designated as 3rd National Data Centre, July 1995 • remit for provision of data services to the entire UK academic community • mix of bibliographic (A & I) and geographic data services • began recruiting to host more services • critical mass of staff expertise & computing resource • new ‘functional’ management structure • EDINA launched on 25 January 1996 as National Data Centre • Edinburgh Data & INformation Access; old poetic name for Edinburgh • designated by the Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC) of UK funding bodies for higher, and now further, education

  10. EDINA as National Ensemble ... • plays to staff & students in all universities and colleges in UK • 42 fte staff, based in Edinburgh & St Helens College, Merseyside • EDINA & MIMAS are both designated as UK National Data Centres • service delivery of online services for all disciplines, inc social sciences • collaborate, & required to compete for new service contracts • now combine to meet needs of Learning & Teaching in further as well as higher education • National Learning Network & JORUM (online repository for IMS-compliant learning materials) • EDINA had made ‘numbers, pictures, words & sounds’ its priority • via several ‘web-rooms’ on our new Web site http://edina.ac.uk

  11. “ … it’s getting better all the time” • strategic role for geographic data services, based round delivery of access to Ordnance Survey mapping via Digimap (2000 -) • download of documentary films via Education Media OnLine (EMOL) • Collaborative project activities, leading to contracts to provide ‘shared services’ for UK Common Information Environment • eg National OpenURL Router; locate brokers for serials; Go-Geo Portal, Geo-Xwalk gazetteers; use of digital certificates for authentication • Support Partner, in association with GBHGIS, to British Library for ‘Collect Britain/A Sense of Place’ • New project, with Ex Libris, to set-up SUNCAT: union catalogue of serials for UK

  12. Reforming the Town Band • Town Band (3 fte staff) plays to University of Edinburgh • don’t neglect your roots: ensure local remit • Donald Morse first manager of the new Local Services team • (now with Computing Services) • Joan Fairgrieve University's first Data Librarian, 1996 • Present Band line-up (library qualifications!!) • Robin Rice imported from US (Madison) as Data Librarian, 1999 • Stuart Macdonald (local talent show) as Assistant, 2001 • Town Band can call on players from National Ensemble (EDINA) • eg for computing infrastructure & delivery of GIS & Moving Picture services

  13. What of the next twenty years? “Will you still be sending me a Valentine … Will you still need me, will you still feed me?” Just what does the future hold in the run-up to 2023?Let’s take the long view … “Imagine all the people …” Students & researchers, of uncertain age, sitting in corners of noisy canteen, trying to complete that overdue multimedia essay: fingers of eGlove tapping away; light reflecting on VideSpecs, doing what on the Internet? Fanciful, or conservative?

  14. IASSIST: Technology always moves on ... • personal mobile workstations: wear-ables • even easier access to networks & to servers that can process / play / view / copy / amend / mix & more So, how will the need for Information Services persist? • Should we promote access to evidence (data) for use in learning & teaching, as well as for research? • Will the shape of library-like provision to remain for as long as we have a university? • How can effort spent on preservation lead to better access? (How to position ourselves to meet the new e-Demands?)

  15. eLearning & eScience • will Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs) succeed, and how should we serve these new intermediaries? • students demand online access to course materials, but will lecturers cope? • how will VLEs be managed to ensure that they are robust and given priority? • will the Grid & Internet2 succeed in their ambition, and will they have their own services? • The social sciences identified ‘data sharing’ but will there be new procedures and practices imposed from the physical & life science?

  16. ePrints & Pre-Prints • will open archive, pre-print and e-print movements succeed? • lessening dependence upon the appetites of commercial publishers, but demanding much of data publishing • will scholars get speedy dissemination? • backed by procedures that ensure enduring preservation and access BUT • scholars, as authors, rarely make good publishers • how should be assist researchers in make their stuff available • in electronic form, as finished works, with supporting material • need to look again at university infrastructure for ePublishing

  17. Finally – a local twist • We have a new UniversityPrincipal, schooled in Informatics, who is promoting eLearning, eScience & widening participation • We will report to a new Vice-Principal for Knowledge Management & Librarian to University (from Melbourne, Australia!!) • So, when we return, for another AwayDay, we must prepare for change, holding on to core beliefs • Edinburgh University will continue to endure and excel. • the term “digital library” should include - rather than exclude - 'data' • The Data Library adds value • Our long-time involvement with IASSIST should help us, to find a future that allows us both to deliver good quality services, and continue to have fun.

  18. “We hope that you’ve enjoyed the show … We’re sorry but it’s time to go” Thank you p.burnhill@ed.ac.uk a.bayley@ed.ac.uk http://edina.ac.uk http://datalib.ed.ac.uk

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